The class A drugs had a purity of 70 per cent and a street value of up to £39,600.

The court heard Khan’s ‘trusted associate’ Mohammed Akhtar was also involved in the movements of the cocaine to Jaber.

Half a kilo of cocaine seized on March 2, 2015. Photo: Lancashire Police

On the day of the delivery he was overheard on the phone in a Lidi supermarket saying ‘Do you know Jaber? You know it’s a small world ours. I thought you might know Jaber. He’s from Accy. He says he’s okay’.

Jaber, 33, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine, after a re-trial.

The court heard how the defendant had nine previous convictions for 15 offences including possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin in 2004, possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin in 2010 and two money laundering offences in 2013.

Martin Reid, prosecuting, told the court how Jaber was ‘subject to the mandatory minimum sentence of seven years’ and has now been jailed by Judge Robert Altham for 11 years.

Mr Reid told the court: “[Jaber] played a leading role in the movement of those drugs and liaised directly with Zahid Khan.

“He was in contact with him both before and after the exchange and was involved in directing or organising the purchase of class A drugs on a commercial scale for that deal.

“He travelled to Preston on more than one occasion to meet with Khan.”

Khan, 40, of Albert Tarrace, Preston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and conspiracy to launder money and was jailed for 13 years.

Half a kilo of cocaine seized on March 2, 2015. Photo: Lancashire Police

Akhtar, 44, of Ashleigh Street, Preston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to launder money and was jailed for six years and four months.

Six other men have also been sentenced relating to other parts of drugs and money laundering operation following Operation Hombre - an investigation by the Serious and Organised Crime Unit.

Robert Smith, defending, said Jaber is now ‘dreading’ the prospect of being deported back to Palestine.

He told the court: “He was not involved throughout the entirety of the conspiracy. Plainly he had an operational function on the Accrington end of this dealing. There are aggravating features.

“This will be his third such offence of drug trafficking and he was on licence at the time of the offence.

"Some of his siblings have positions of real responsibility and therefore this defendant is very much the exception rather than the norm in his family.

“He wants me to say this on his behalf that he is terrified at the prospect of being deported to Palestine, his country of origin.

“That is perhaps an almost inevitable consequence of his conviction for this offence and the sentence that your honour will pass. It fills him with absolute dread.”